My Apologies

Ashley came to visit me!!!! She came on Halloween and met me at my school. She was able to see where I work and she is my first outsider witness as to how crazy it really is. The day of Halloween we were forced to leave school immediately after the children were dismissed. I found out earlier in the day that it was because the Bloods (a nationally recognized gang) was having initiation and would be looking for victims in their "turf" (aka my school neighborhood.)

While Ashley and I walked around the neighborhood where I live, we saw children and parents trick-or-treating. It was strange to think that 1 mile away, my students were locked in their homes because it was too dangerous for them to be out on the streets enjoying this holiday.

Halloween night Ashley, Ryan and I went to Mama Mia, a favorite Italian restaurant of ours. The next day, I went to work and Ashley went out with her brother Dustin (he is living in Brooklyn.) When Ryan got home we all went down to Mustangs for Mexican food and Margaritas. Two of Ryan's buddies from work met up with us and everyone was ready for the after party. I had to teach in the morning, so I went home. I was in bed my 10:45 and I thought "Oh, they should be home soon." However, I woke up at 4:38 am to the sounds of two loud, boisterous and inebriated individuals entering the apartment. 4:38!!! They were playing beer pong all night at the bar. Needless to say, the next morning was rough on both of them. I was surprised when Ashley was game for another round on Friday night.

So the real reason Ashley came was to help me find my wedding dress. :) We went to Macy's on Saturday and I found a pretty dress. I liked the dress and thought it was the dress for me until... we went to Kleinfeld's Bridal on Sunday. We looked at dress after dress after dress. I saw one that was nice but Carmel, our sales specialist, knew it was not for me. Carmel, Ashley and I went into this tiny closet and Ashley found one more dress for me to try on. I was kinda done by this point but I agreed to put it on. I am so happy I did. As soon as I put it on I envisioned Ryan watching me come down the isle. This last Thursday, I went back to Kleinfeld's to have my dress fitted and to purchase my dress, my veil and a beautiful headpiece. Now I feel like a real bride :)

Update

I have a headache. Peter, the landlord, is fixing a leak in a ceiling downstairs. This meant that Peter had to take down the entire ceiling and will replace it tomorrow. This building in hella old. The dust that was caused from the removal of the ceiling is making it hard for me to breath. But Peter says it is normal, so I guess I will just have to deal.

Today was the latest I have stayed at school EVER!!! The other first year teachers and I planned our entire week. Basically, we are assessing, assessing, assessing and training, training, training. It is a lot of work but I am lucky because I really love the other first years. One of them is Hana. Hana and I hang out a lot. In fact, last Weds. we went to an Aerosmith concert. We took an hour train ride into Long Island to see them play at the Jones Beach amphitheater. It was spur of the moment and I needed it :)

This weekend Ryan's parents came into town. Yesterday was my favorite day with them. We bought nice meats and cheeses and breads and had a picnic in Central Park. We watched a bathing suit photo shoot, played Euchre and saw a man get naked behind a tree (only in NYC). Afterwards, we walked around the park and relaxed. While we were walking around, Ryan and I looked for places to take our engagement photos. We are taking the engagement photos on Sat. and they will be placed around our reception.

So, nothing too interesting happening at the moment. But, I will write again soon and hopefully it will be more entertaining.

Ciao,
Callie

Update :)

I am teaching first grade and I am engaged.
Love,
Callie

Just kidding. My mom told me that was all I had to write, but I will write more. I am teaching first grade in Harlem. My kids are great but a little difficult to manage. That is what I have been working on during my first week of school. Today they started off great. They were on task, working independently and I was STUNNED. I was thinking to myself, "Holy Crap, what did I do right?"

My second bit of news is that Ryan and I are engaged. It has been 5.5 years of boyfriend/girlfriend and now he's my fiance. Ooh la la. Ryan and I went to watch the MSU football game at an MSU themed bar. That bar is on the west side. When we were walking back we walked through Central Park. We got to a bench and I started talking. Ryan got up from the bench and onto a knee. I am not sure what he said, but I said yes. We are very excited and we look forward to our July 12 wedding.

Thank you for all your congratulatory emails, letters and calls.

Love you,

Callie

Back to School

I am going tomorrow to begin setting up my classroom. As it stands now, I am going to teach a pre-kindergarten classroom. However, there still may be a chance that I am switched to first grade. I just hope to get a concrete answer soon.

Today I went to a teacher store in Brooklyn with a new friend of mine. I bought my welcome back to school poster, my grade book, a calender, a dress the bear weather chart and more. My new friend is another teacher at my school. Her name is Hana and this is her first year of teaching too. We met when we went to an orientation for our school last month.

I will tell you more as I know more. I apologize for not sounding more excited. However, this time of year for a new teacher is filled with paperwork, pressure, reading , preparation and anxiety. Once school begins and the students are in I know I will have a million stories and I am sure you will all be tired of me telling you about my classroom.

Love you all,

Callie

Too Much

As many of you know, I have been offered a job teaching at PS 185. The school houses grades from Pre Kindergarten to Second Grade. I am not sure which grade I will be teaching yet but I am thrilled to be a part of this school.

On Saturday I had my last night out with Stefanie. Stef has lived with Ryan and I since the end of May. I will be sad to see her leave on Sunday, but Ryan and I will enjoy having the space back (finally, I can get him out of my closet.) Below are the pictures of Ryan, Stef and I saying goodbye in style. It was not my proudest night in NYC, but man did I have fun.


I was so excited that the cab had an interactive tv in the backseat. Apparently, this is an ancient development, I just haven't been getting in the right cabs.


We were feeling pretty good at this point.


Stef referred to Ryan and I as Dad and Mom. So this is our Mother Daughter photo :)


Ryan and his friends Kevin Brady (Brady) and Kevin Smith.

It's Been Too Long

It has been more than a month since I last posted a blog. So I think I will catch you up on my life in New York.

A few nights after the cockroach, my friends Molly and Jeff came to stay with us. Ryan was bummed that he would be out of town for that because Molly and Jeff are a lot of fun. We did all the tourist things while they were here. We even walked from my apartment to Battery Park (check a map and you will be stunned). From there we could sit by the river and look at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

After Molly and Jeff left, we had our friend Adam here for a weekend. And then our friend Julia came to visit. Julia was staying at the Library Hotel near Grand Central. Between 5 and 9 they have a free wine and cheese hour. Needless to say, we finished a bottle of Prosecco and headed off to a VIP North Face event that she was hosting through work. The event was sponsored by Bullet Bourbon, so we did our fair share of damage there (who ever knew a bourbon and lemonade tasted so good?) After the event, we met up with Ryan and some of his buddies from work and the Whiskey Lounge just south of Central Park. The night was long but fun and we ended it the best way possible, at McDonald's.

I did not ever quit my job at The Lenox Room. Nevertheless, they are shutting down and remodeling for the next 3 weeks. So this Saturday will be my last day at Lenox :) During the time they are closed, I will prepare for my first year of teaching. I have received a nomination letter from PS 185. They would like me to teach either pre K, K, or First grade. I have not signed my contract with them yet and so I am not positive this is official. I have a meeting at the school tomorrow and then I will know more.

Ryan had this whole weekend off. We spent the whole time together and it was great. We have a new 46inch plasma tv and I think he is in love :) Last night we watched the Tiger's play in High Definition. Even though they lost, it was fun to watch them on the big screen.

I apologize for the length of this Post. I will be sure to update more frequently in the future.

Love you all,

Callie

COCKROACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stef and I are home alone for the week and just 10 minutes ago we received a very unwelcome guest. Stefanie went to wash out her cereal bowl that she put into the sink. All of a sudden she screamed and jumped away. I didn't want to look, but there in the sink was a 2.5 in long cockroach with antennas that reached another 3 inches. As soon as I saw it, I screamed too.

What is wrong with me? I just got back from South Africa where I had to spray my bed with bug spray nightly. But for some reason, this bug was toooooo much for me. Every time we got near him, he spread his wings threatening to fly away. Stef and I would scream and rum to a corner, jumping up and down and holding on to one another. We looked pitiful.

Finally, we got the mini monster to crawl on to a magazine. From there, we covered him with a cup and carried both the cup and the magazine to the hallway window. The window looks out over the trash area and from the sixth story we through our new friend to the ground, magazine, cup and all.

The drama is over. Stef is cleaning her room now and I am going to try and sleep. I have a big day of scrubbing the apartment from top to bottom tomorrow.

I knew this day had to come. Every New York apartment has a cockroach or two. Hopefully mine just had one :(

Love you all,

Callie

I QUIT

I can't do this any longer. This job is too terrible. The girls I work with are very nice, but I cannot work for the people I work for anymore. You heard it here first. I am done, done and done!!!

Now I just need to let them know ;)

My Apartment

Finally, pictures of my apartment. The first picture is of my living room. Ryan and I have put in out futon with two book shelves to the side of it. In front of the futon on the opposite wall is our tv (that is where the flat screen will go.) The color of our walls are Shakespeare Tan. Ryan was impressed that I painted everything in one day. He never knew I was so handy :) Our walls are still blank, but we are in the process of picking where to hang everything.


Down below is our kitchen. It is pretty big for an NYC kitchen, but small by all of your standards :) There is lots of cabinet space and we even have a cute little table, compliments of Helen (Thanks Helen).

Next to the kitchen photo is our bedroom. It is kind of boring looking, but once I have a job and more decorating funds, I will play around with this room too.



Missing in the photos is our bathroom, closets and guest room. But they are not very exciting so you are really not missing much.

Love you all.

Callie

Pokey Peter

I am sitting in my apartment at 1:00 waiting for my Super. He called to say he would be right up to put a bike hook in our ceiling. "Thank you Peter, I appreciate you doing this." I say to him. What I am really thinking is. Wow, it only took you one month to get up here. But we know he has been very busy lately.

So Peter (or Pokey Peter, as Ryan calls him) is here right now. He is putting in ceiling hooks and making all sorts of noises. Some of which come out as grumbling expletives. While all this commotion is going on in the kitchen. I am sitting on the couch, wondering when he will finish and writing to all of you.

I just wrote this to let you all know that Peter is one of my favorite characters I have met in New York City. What would I do without Peter?

8 Days a Week

Tonight I finished my eighth day in a row of work at the Lenox Room. Everyone has been asking me how I like my new job. Truth be told, I don't. However, the money is good.

I have always appreciated the fact that each person is of value. The people I serve, on the other hand, have the belief that people with money are people of value. More money equals more value. They are the typical Upper East Side Royalty that you see in movies.

I used to think that Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada was an exageration of a personality. However, I wait on women just like her everyday. Yesterday, a woman demanded that her food be cut for her in the kitchen. She was offended that we would assume that she would cut her own food. :)

I know I will not be able to take a full summer of these people. Therefore, I am going to work until I can save enough to pay rent and live for the summer. Then I am going to put in my resignation.

All I can do now, is smile and know that there is an end in sight.

Wish me luck.

Callie

The Lenox Room

The Lenox Room is a small restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The guests are mostly regulars and the majority of them have far too much money and far too much attitude to go with it. Celebrities like Betsey Johnson, Christian Slater and Dina Lohan (Lindsay's mom) dine at The Lenox Room on a regular basis. I have yet to see any big celebrities.

I made it through 3 days of working for nothing. My training is over and tonight is my first night waiting tables on my own. I know I can do this but I also realize I will make mistakes. I would usually be okay with that, however, mistakes are not allowed at this restaurant. The owner is a very nice man with a very short temper (does that even make sense.) One mistake and he gets livid. This is very different from working for Joe, Dan and Paul at Stillwater. Wish me luck. The life of a New York City waitress is not pretty.

Working Girl

Everyone wants a picture of the inside of our apartment. But... I am going to paint the kitchen and living room next week, so wait until they are finished and we have pictures up.

I found a job. I am working at The Lenox Room. You have to train for 3 nights without any money. Then I will be able to work enough to pay the bills. The restaraunt is pretty fancy. I have to make sure that the correct silverware is always on the table, that wine glasses are set in the correct position of the water glass and I deal with a lot of Upper East Side old money. This should be interesting.

I had my final two interviews with PS 171 this week. On Tuesday I toured the school. Today, I taught a demonstration lesson to a group of 6th graders. The Principal and V. Principal were in the room taking notes. I taught a social studies lesson on Apartheid in South Africa. The students were very much engaged and I thought things went very well. However, the Principal would not give me a read. I could not tell if he liked the lesson or not. He is one of the most ambiguous people I have ever met. He said he would be getting back to me. So, when I know you'll know.

Our friends Mike and Jen are coming to visit this weekend. This should be a lot of fun. I just hope I am able to have some time off of work.

I will write again soon.

Callie

Finally I am here

Sorry it has been so long since I last wrote. My parents had a goodbye party for me. I packed up all my things and we drove all the way to NYC. We were lost in Jersey, but made it to the city around 6pm.

Now I am on the job hunt. I am interviewing with schools and looking for jobs in retail or waiting tables for the summer. I even posted my information on a nannying website. Today I am going to walk all over town turning in my applications. Wish me luck.

Ryan has not been working too much. He has been home around 9 or 10 every night last week. He even had most of the weekend off. On Saturday we walked to Central Park, we read in the grass and then we played a little lacrosse. I could spend every day in Central Park.

After our morning of relaxation, we went grocery shopping, had lunch and then CLEANED! Our biggest project was our fridge. I should have taken before and after pictures because things were actually growing in there. I was in charge of washing all the shelves while Ryan put on rubber gloves and attacked the fuzzy red things growing all over the bottom. Between the fridge and our bathtub, let's just say our bleach has been put to good use.

Also on today's agenda, I am buying new running shoes. That's right, running shoes. The last time I ran was in the Spring of 2006. I ran 3 miles and my body hurt for 3 days. This should be interesting.

Well, I will keep everyone updated. Wish me luck.

Callie

Our Apartment

We found it. Well I found it and now I am just hoping that Ryan likes it :) I was fed up with looking for a place to live. One apartment couldn't even fit a bed in the bedroom. Another apartment had holes in the floor and most apartments were just plain depressing. I was ready to go home for the day and I thought I would start fresh in the morning.

On my way to the subway, I saw a sign on the window of an apartment building. It said "1 and 2 bedroom apartments available." I thought to myself what the heck. I called the number and took a look at the apartments. They were perfect. Both of them. I could not believe that the two-bedroom apartments was in our price range. Filled with a new energy I called Ryan to tell him the good news. After talking to the super he told me to go ahead and fill out the paperwork. The super took me for coffee and showed me the neighborhood. I filled out the papers and left their ecstatic and hopeful.

Our super, Pete, called me today to say we passed our credit report and the apartment is ours. So here it is, a 6th story walk up on the upper east side of New York. We are less than 5 blocks from Central Park and 2 blocks from the Subway. The apartment is still small (all Manhattan apts are tiny) but it is fantastic.

I cannot wait to show off my new home :)

All the best,

Callie

Here we go :)

Staley definitely inspired me. She left me for FL and I read her blog on a regular basis. This may seem a bit early, but here I go with my NYC blog.

It is 1 month until I leave for the Big Apple. Next week, I start looking for apartments. I will be taking the subway and taxi wherever I go. Therefore, my car is gone. I have applied to NYC public schools and I am waiting to hear back about a personal interview. I will keep everyone updated as to how that goes.

I am not really ready to leave yet. I have not started to pack and it does not seem real. When reality hits me, I am sure it will not be pretty.

I will keep everyone up to date.

Callie